


Homecalling

by ry0kiku



Series: Red Justice and Night Oracle [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Birdboys are Jaeger pilots, Gloomy Timmy, Jaytim - Freeform, M/M, MIA Jason, Marshall Wayne, Pacific Rim AU, dickbabs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 09:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7262962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ry0kiku/pseuds/ry0kiku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>People might dub Bruce Wayne the world's greatest (and wealthiest) Marshall. But to him, the man would always be the world's greatest detective. It was no easy feat to find him, here in secluded seaside fishermen village, buried in a mountain of wreckage and sea waste. Bruce must have been really desperate.</p><p>"We need you back at the shatterdome, Tim."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Homecalling

The west coast was vast, and he was sure he covered his tracks well. Not well enough, he decided, as one of the villagers approached him with the news.

"Mr. Drake, someone who claimed to be your father came to see you."

Looking up from his files, Tim rubbed the bridge of his nose and mentally sighed, nodding his affirmative. He rose from his chair, taking a split second glance at nearby mirror (and frowning at the bags under his eyes), before stepping outside to greet his 'father'.

Bruce Wayne looked exactly as he remembered. Tall and imposing with no-nonsense piercing glower. The man might look intimidating at first glance (the villagers that ushered kids away from him could attest to that), but Tim noticed that he still wore that exact expression when he saw the Marshall last.

Guilt.

"Tim."

"Marshall."

People might dub Bruce Wayne the world's greatest (and wealthiest) Marshall. But to him, he would always be the world's greatest detective. It was no easy feat to find him, here in secluded seaside fishermen village, buried in a mountain of wreckage and sea wastes. Bruce must have been really desperate.

"We need you back at the shatterdome, Tim."

He wasn't remotely surprised by the blunt, cut-to-the-chase request. What surprised him was how tactless it was. Surely Bruce realised he would flat out refuse?

"I can't, Bruce. Not when I'm so close."

It was half-truth; the trail was getting cold. But this was one of the best leads he's had for months, he had to keep hope. He had to, even when everyone said to his face that he was doing 'a delusional wild goose chase'.

"You haven't given up."

Everyone, except this man. Tim let a tired smile graced his face.

"Jason is alive. I was linked to him when the kaiju... when it happened. He is alive, and we have to find him. I have to find him."

He saw Bruce's expression shifted ever so slightly with conflicting emotions. He frowned, deciding to test the waters.

"You still trust me, don't you?"

_"When even Dick doesn't?_ " He mentally added with an ache.

The eyes flashed again, an emotion he still couldn't catch even as Bruce's face went carefully blank again.

"I do. But you really need to go back right now."

Now even his patience was wearing thin. "If you say you trust me, why pulling me back? You trust me that Jason _is_ alive after everything, and he is out there--"

"This isn't about Jason. This is about you. And all of us."

The growl was eerily calm, but sharp enough to cut his rant all the same. He sealed his lips and clenched his hands, bottling his hurt and nursed his confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you seen the news about the latest eastern Pacific battle?"

Now that caught him offguard. Tim frowned, racking his memory. It was roughly ten days ago, if he remembered correctly.

"The one that took place near Midway? The reception here is terrible, but I saw that one on the news. A close battle, but it's a victory."

Bruce's eyes flashed again, and this time, Tim was pretty sure he saw regret. And before he knew it, a new emotion was rapidly rising. Dread.

"Marshall. It was a victory... right?"

It has to be. Tim recalled seeing footage of the battle on the news. The kaiju was agile and deadly accurate, but Night Oracle was piloted by Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon. The perfect pair, the dream team. Tim looked up to them so much, even far before his piloting days. Far before considering them, and Jason, as his extended family.

"We didn't disclose it to the press," Bruce began, his voice was low. "The Jaeger's body was mostly undamaged because that Kaiju seemed to prefer accuracy over brute blows. Its claw was small but deadly, and it repeatedly hit the cockpit, like it just... knew."

Bruce's voice got lower, as if he was afraid it would break if he went any louder.

"Barbara went offline first. Dick carried on solo and stopped the monster, but in the end, he too..."

Even if Bruce didn't trail off, Tim was sure he wasn't going to hear that anyway. His ears was ringing as his heart wildly pounded behind his ribcage.

_No..._

He raised his head and locked eyes with his surrogate father, his Marshall. "Bruce... are they...?"

_They wouldn't... his ever so reliable older brother and sister wouldn't..._

The older man met his eyes, unanswering for a few precious second. Enough for his head to clear and hear the revelation.

"They both survived. Though the doctors said that Barbara may never walk again."

Tim has never felt a more violent whiplash in his entire life. One second he was relieved that Barbara was alive. Then he remembered the red head's tall, sleek, cat-like movement, and felt as if his stomach filled with lead. The young, energetic, athletic lady would be confined to a wheelchair. It was life, but a cruel one.

"And... Dick?"

The thought of Dick ended up a cripple sickened him even more. Dick was a born acrobat, light-footed and always on the move. For such a person to be losing his mobility would be beyond cruel.

Bruce closed his eyes, his answer barely above a whisper.

"They said that he may never wake again."

His insides ran cold. His world was shaking and he barely realised his knees were giving up and Bruce's big hand supporting his back. His mind was replaying that night, the night he felt his mind and heart torn to shreds at losing his partner. His brother.

_No. Not Dick. Not another brother. Not so soon after Jason..._

He didn't even realise strong hands wrapped around him, loose but protective. Almost unfeeling of those big hands rubbing circles down his back, comforting (when did he start sobbing?). Barely heard the deep, sympathetic, yet almost desperate whispers in his ears.

"I'm sorry, Tim."

  
"Come back home."

  
"We need you."

.

.

**Author's Note:**

> So... yeah. The premise is Tim-Jason and Dick-Babs as Jaeger pilots at a private shatterdome 'the Watchtower', and Bruce as their Marshall. More drabbles to follow, from multiple POVs and not necessarily chronological.


End file.
